New York City’s East River is 16 miles long, has over 91 miles of shoreline and runs through 4 boroughs (all but Staten Island). Carrying the burden of an intensely industrial past, the East River is now facing an uncertain future: an unprecedented 1,000 acres of the East River’s shoreline are involved in current development proposals.
Yesterday, the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance and the Municipal Art Society, along with the help of 50 community groups, celebrated East River Day. East River advocates are working to ensure that future development on the East River includes real public access, is ecologically sustainable, and addresses local community needs. They’ve created a comprehensive East River Agenda for each City Council District that points to specific locations for ecologic and historic preservation, public access points, traffic calming, street end park construction, pollution remediation, and much much more. Read more about the East River Agenda here.
On East River Day, advocates traveled the length of the shoreline by Water Taxi, stopping in each borough to meet with local elected officials and discuss local development plans and priorities. I met the group in Long Island City, and rode the Water Taxi as the tour explored the waterfront parks of Southern Queens and Northern Brooklyn. Here are some photos from the trip:
LIC’s Gantry Plaza State Park
New York Water Taxi Beach
The mouth of Newtown Creek, separating Queens and Brooklyn
The charred remains of the Greenpoint Terminal Market
Williamsburg’s new East River State Park
The East River icon and relic of Brooklyn’s industrial past, the Domino Sugar Factory
Hipster hangout, Williamsburg’s India Point Park
Completed portion of Brooklyn Bridge Park (now this is real public access — you can actually touch the water!)
Brooklyn Bridge Park to come
Brooklyn Heights’ Floating Pool (set to open next week!)
Red Hook Container Terminal
